1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors by which a plurality of rows of cables are arranged in multiple tiers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional electrical connectors of this type have an arranging housing for arranging cables and a holding housing having a plurality of contact elements and holding the cables when both the arranging and holding housings are united.
In FIG. 12, the arranging housing includes a U-shaped housing body 51 and a U-shaped arranging member 52. The housing body 51 has a pair of legs 53 with engaging hooks 53A. The legs 53 are flexible outwardly. A plurality of semi-circular arranging grooves 54 are provided in the bottom of the housing body 51 for arranging a row of cables C1. The arranging member 52 has a flat lower face 52A resting on flat supports 51A provided on opposite sides of the arranging grooves 54 such that the arranging member 52 is supported closely to the lower tier cables C1. A plurality of arranging grooves 55 are provided in the bottom of the arranging member 52 for receiving a row of cables C2.
To assemble the connector, a plurality of cables C1 are arranged in the arranging grooves 54 of the housing body 51, the arranging member 52 is placed at a predetermined position in the housing body 51, and then cables C2 are arranged in the arranging grooves 55 of the arranging member 52 to provide two tiers of arranged cables.
The housing body 51 is then united with a holding housing (not shown). The holding housing is snapped by the engaging hooks 53A of the housing body 51 such that the contact elements of the holding housing are press-connected to the cables of the upper and lower tiers within a cavity of the holding housing. The press-connection sections are offset in the axial direction of cables. By arranging the cables in two tiers it is possible to provide dense wiring.
Frequently, the circuit board on which the electrical connector is mounted is placed closely parallel to another circuit board. Consequently, there is a demand for a low-profile electrical connector.
However, the arranging member 52 is placed above the lower tier of cables so that the height of the connector is no less than the sum of the two tiers of cables and the bottoms of the housing body 51 and the arranging member 52. Since the arranging grooves are semi-circular, it is difficult to hold cables therein.
To secure cables in the arranging grooves, it is necessary to provide sufficiently deep grooves in the housing body and the arranging member. This, however, increases the height of the arranging member and is contradict to the demand.